Chapter 53

In the afternoon, Qi Zhaodi, who had been claiming illness for several days and not attending court, suddenly summoned Dongfang Yan.

Dongfang Yan didn't dare to neglect, returned to the mansion to change his clothes, and entered the palace.

When he arrived at the Imperial Study, he saw Qi Zhaodi was already reviewing memorials. His complexion had fully recovered, and seeing Prince Jin come over, he smiled and said: "No need for ceremony, sit down and talk."

Dongfang Yan sat down on the chair moved by the eunuch, and seeing no other ministers were there, his speech became more casual:

"Imperial Uncle, although your complexion is much better, you are busy with government affairs just after recovering from a serious illness, do you really not care about your dragon body at all?"

Qi Zhaodi was fifty-five years old this year, which actually couldn't be considered too old. Seeing him in his early years, he was spirited and showed no signs of aging at all.

Ever since the Crown Prince had an accident, he had aged rapidly. It was visible to the naked eye that it was all the color of wind and frost.

But the country couldn't do without him, so he could only pull himself together to manage government affairs.

"Resting for a few days is much better. These days, it's also thanks to you, Yan'er, helping to manage government affairs, that Imperial Uncle could rest with peace of mind."

Dongfang Yan hurriedly stood up and bowed: "Being able to share worries for Imperial Uncle is this nephew's honor!"

"Sit down, I said don't be too constrained by etiquette. When you were one and a half years old, you went to court with your father; at that time, the Crown Prince hadn't been born yet, and I held you and sat on the dragon throne to discuss politics, and as a result, you peed your pants halfway through. To this day, there is still the smell of your urine on the dragon throne!"

Qi Zhaodi said, laughing loudly, and the Grand Eunuch behind him also covered his mouth and laughed softly.

Dongfang Yan was a bit embarrassed: "Imperial Uncle, please don't mention the embarrassing things from childhood anymore."

"I don't know if it's because I'm old, but I often miss the past. In the past, when your father was still alive, we often chatted privately about you little ones. I liked you, Yan'er, for being lively and sincere, living every day without a care in the world. Your father, however, always praised the Crown Prince for being benevolent and open-minded, and he would definitely be a good Emperor in the future."

Mentioning the Crown Prince, Qi Zhaodi's eyes dimmed a bit: "If it had always been like before, how good that would have been."

Dongfang Yan followed his lead and asked: "Imperial Uncle, is the Crown Prince brother any better now?"

Qi Zhaodi sighed: "Still the same, unconscious and unable to wake up. The imperial physician has already concluded that he won't live for three months."

Dongfang Yan hurriedly said: "They are all a bunch of quack doctors! Imperial Uncle, you must not give up easily; if even you give up, what will happen to the Crown Prince brother? The world is vast, and there are countless hidden tigers and crouching dragons, let's go find them again! We will definitely be able to find someone who can treat the Crown Prince!"

Qi Zhaodi waved his hand: "How could I not have sent people to find them? But... perhaps this is fate. It is Heaven punishing me for disobeying and committing the great crime of killing my father and seizing the throne back then! That's why my descendants are withered, my closest siblings left early, and my most beloved son is also..."

Back then, when Qi Zhaodi was still the Crown Prince, he was suspected by the late Emperor and was almost killed. Forced by helplessness, he joined forces with Dongfang Yan's father to raise troops and seize the throne.

It was also because of this reason that his brotherly relationship with the old Prince Jin was exceptionally deep.

Before, he was never willing to mention the past, but now this old man in his twilight years was perhaps hit hard, so he talked to Dongfang Yan about the past.

"If the Crown Prince really... my throne will naturally be left to you, Yan'er."

He suddenly restrained his sad expression, and his wise eyes looked steadily at Dongfang Yan, as if he wanted to see through everything about him: "What I can give, I will naturally give to you. What I cannot give, you must absolutely not go and seize. Do you understand?"

Look, this is the Emperor! When he is willing to talk to you about feelings, he is family. When he is not willing to talk about feelings, he is a monarch and subject.

Distinct and clear!

Dongfang Yan hurriedly restrained his expression and began to express his loyalty: "At any time, Yan'er will always be loyal to Da Qi, loyal to Imperial Uncle, just as my father was loyal! As for the throne... that is the Crown Prince brother's, this nephew absolutely does not dare to covet it!"

Qi Zhaodi nodded with satisfaction, his expression relaxed: "I was just chatting with you, why be so serious? By the way, your Princess, she is very good. Bring her over when you have time in these few days, I want to see her again."

"Yes!"

Dongfang Yan knew that Qi Zhaodi wanting to see Lin Qingyue should be because she had made a contribution in the Mayfly Silk case.

This could also be considered a good thing. Being able to gain the Emperor's favor also earned face for him, Prince Jin.

Dongfang Yan came out of the palace and originally wanted to go to the cabinet to discuss politics with the ministers. Seeing the sky was getting late, he remembered his unhappy parting with Lin Qingyue.

His emotions were high at the time, but thinking about it now, he felt it wasn't a big deal, and there was no need to argue with a little woman like her.

After a little thought, he pushed aside the cabinet affairs and went to the Xuanjing Division to pick up Lin Qingyue and go home.

She is his Princess, the dignity he didn't give before, he will compensate for it slowly in the future. She should feel his good intentions and put away those thorns all over her body, right?

If she really doesn't like Lin Ruzhen entering the mansion, then he won't take her in.

Thinking all the way, even Dongfang Yan himself didn't know when Lin Qingyue had slowly walked into his heart.

Arriving at the gate of the Xuanjing Division, the guard was about to report but was stopped by Dongfang Yan: "This Prince has come to pick up the Princess to go home, not an outsider, no need to report!"

The guards were all a bit confused: Since when did His Highness Prince Jin become one of us?

Dongfang Yan, who didn't consider himself an outsider, walked all the way to the conference hall of the Xuanjing Division, and before he even entered, he heard the noisy conversation inside:

"Deputy Envoy Lin is indeed powerful, actually being able to call that cold-faced Prince to have a ghost marriage! I thought it was impossible for Prince Jin to agree, but I didn't expect him to really go. Hahaha!"

"I saw it long ago, Deputy Envoy Lin didn't say it in advance at all! She just tricked Prince Jin into going."

"Deputy Envoy Lin, tell us quickly how you tricked Prince Jin!"

Then came Lin Qingyue's contemptuous voice: "How did I trick him? What's there to say? Anyway, he's stupid and easy to fool."

"Deputy Envoy Lin, tell us, how did you feel when you saw your husband bowing to a female ghost?"

Lin Qingyue shrugged and said indifferently: "No feeling. It's my duty, what does a mere man count for?"

"A good 'it's my duty'!" Dongfang Yan's voice came abruptly.

There was no expression on his face, but his eyes were so cold they could kill, looking like a god of slaughter.

The guards who were laughing and joking around Lin Qingyue saw that the situation was not right and scattered all at once.

Lin Qingyue leaned softly on the chair, her two legs placed on the table without any image, completely without image.

"Why are you here?"

Her tone was casual, her demeanor frivolous. There was no embarrassment at being caught, and she didn't even see that Dongfang Yan was angry—or didn't care even if she saw it.

Dongfang Yan asked coldly: "Last night, you said you wanted this Prince to accompany you to handle affairs, just to trick this Prince into being the groom for a ghost marriage?"

"Yes." Lin Qingyue didn't deny it.

"Lin Qingyue, you deceived this Prince like this, and fooled this Prince?"